Climate Change: Experts Predict Water, Food Challenges

There are emerging fears that in the next 20 years, half of Nigeria’s population will be facing water shortage, challenges, as well as a reduction in agricultural yield by 25%.

This is sequel to the report of researchers at the New York University to the effect that there is an alarming threat of climate change globally.

The report which further revealed “more volatile and intense heat waves and droughts occurring along with the Sea-level and extreme Coastal flooding, characterized by unpredictable Spatial Switches”, is said to be imminent in the not-too-distant future.

Experts say that the country will be one of the worst-hit by the negative impact of the climate change due to its low-lying coastal line.

In an analysis of “the climate change; its impact on agriculture in Nigeria”, Mr. Dahiru Awaisu Kuta, a prolific writer, pointed out that the negative impact of this enigma in Nigeria and its agricultural sector requires no emphasis, while he maintained that the impact is felt every where, Mr. Kuta explained that for about a 100 years now, Nigeria has been experiencing persistent increase in temperature, thus, Nigerian agriculture is vulnerable to climate change he said.

This development, he considered very serious since the sector contributes up to 40% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), employing about 70% of the country’s total labour force and realising that the determination of the present administration to meet the millennium Development Goals (MDGs) cannot be achieved in the face of these challenges arising from climate change.

Kuta maintained that the damages arising from climate change is devastating and so affect the learn resources available to the government to inject into agriculture and other sector for economic growth.

“In the health sector, weather fluctuation causes insurgence of infectious diseases such as malaria, cholera and meningitis particularly among rural dwellers which of course affects their quality of life.

Experts are therefore Concerned about the pace of environmental degradation occasioned by erosion and flooding.

It will be recalled that in the last six months, climate change related crises had been on the rise in various parts of the country with many people dying and many others displaced in addition to the washing away of their farmlands.

Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi